Last night Aunt Shannon called me and we were talking about Jen getting married and all that has been going on with them lately. As she and I were discussing everything it hit me that I had not actually listed out everything I need to accomplish as my departure time approaches. Departure? Yeah, okay so lets start at the beginning.
Jennifer is my daddy's baby sister (Aunt Shannon's) oldest daughter. She is marrying a handsome returned missionary (Dan, who we all just adore) in the Manti temple tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock. Jen graduated last week from Dixie State with an Associates Degree and Brock, number 2 child in their lineup graduated from High School and went on Senior Trip. Brooke, the baby in thier family had to have some dental work done and was not enjoying the large serving of pain that she actually had to pay for. So needless to point out, my usually very with it, got it together, take on the world and win, Aunt Shannon has been having a CR@zY summer to say the least. Chase, number 3, seems to be in his normal chillax mode which has got to be comforting for Aunt Shannon.....must be in the name. She has lists and plans and notebooks. She has backup plans for weather conditions and unecpected surprise guests, I mean just everything. As for me, not so much.
About 3 months ago I was looking for direction and making those "life altering" decisions that usually come post mission. Just so you know I am totally indecisive and have been my whole life so no, not my favorite thing to do. Of course I pray really hard and when I get the definite "yes" or "no"answer I obey and things work out the way that Heavenly Father knows is best for me. I only struggle when it comes to the other answers like "maybe" or "wait" or the "its up to you". As I was praying and hoping the Lord would send me a lightening bolt "yes" to one path I got a letter from BYU asking me to participate in a summer language course at the Center for Language Studies. I would be studying Tagalog and taking a certification test at the end of the course which is one step on the way to becoming a translator. As I was walking back inside from the mailbox I realized why I had been getting the "maybe" answer that I don't like so much. Both of my goals at the time were good decisions but Heavenly Father wanted me to know that He had more in store for me.
The day that I got the acceptance letter I was thrilled. I came running into the kitchen and did my little "yay I am going on an adventure dance" for my whole family, some joined me in my little romp, some just laughed at me, and some started making plans! I got my apartment lined up and tuition paid for. I discovered that I already own the books I will be using in class and I put everyone in Utah or surrounding areas (5,000 mile radius) on alert that this little girl was headed their way. I am sure that the latter announcement had them running into the underground tornado shelters faster than the movie Twister but they had 4 weeks of preparation time, a personal best for me. I usually give about 20 seconds of "catch your breath and hold on tight" time before I lower the boom. I love the view when you fly by the seat of your pants and I think that my mother would agree that I was raised right! My father on the other hand has been dubbed by my sister (the sefl proclaimed linguist) Mr. Planner, among other things. Don't get me wrong, I like knowing there is a plan and a backup plan and I learned the importance of that on the mission.......but I also like looking at the plan as a loose suggestion. My brain sees a plan and responds, "Looks great, it will work IF nothing else comes along." or "It is a good starting place, lets see what else we can throw in, who else we can involve, or what the detour route would look like." and yes I also so the benefits of this on the mission. When I realized this I started praying more for my companions than ever. Poor things! But what can I say, I like it like that. I need a little craziness, it keeps me sane! And because this is my outlook I have gotten to experience some pretty amazing things, meet and come to love some pretty amazing people and be molded into the person that I am today. So with that being said.....
I am starting to panic!!! I know it is so crazy. I am totally insane. 8 days left until my flight leaves at 7:00 am. which is going to be at the conclusion of the busiest week of my life. So yeah. I think now is the time to call in the planners: notebooks, calendars, and pens at the ready!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Not one but Two!
I had the privilege of spending Saturday night with not one but two of the sweetest little men in the world! Am I a lucky girl or what?! I love Kole and Keaton so much! The elders on the mission were jealous of my fan mail because I got so much from the boys! Miranda and Kaleb went out of town for a quick overnight trip to get some summer shopping done and I got to spend tons of time playing with my fellas. We built tents, worked together on laundry, and of course took a bath fit for most kings! The boys really love water! We watched every single Harry Potter and that was an accomplishment to them! We remembered our prayers and to read our scriptures too! We got up and dressed like missionaries for church. While looking in the mirror in the bathroom Keaton looked at himself approvingly and said, "Yep I'm a a stud." When we walked up to the Elders at church he looked at Elder Merrill and Elder Davis and said, "I'm a stud." He was so convinced that he was just all that. I got a good chuckle out of him! After church Jarah came over and played with us. We had a blast showing her our cool tent and then she helped us tear it down. Heavenly Father really has blessed me with some amazing kids in my life. Of course they wouldn't be so amazing without their wonderful parents to help lead and guide and teach them. I think I will start counting my blessings right here...
1. Kole
2. Keaton
3. Miranda
4. Kaleb
5. Saturday nights
6.Blanket tents
7. Sunday mornings
9. Long bath times
10. Sweet babies prayers
11. Missionaries influence for good.............
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
The Big LC
We have so many blessings in our lives. Small town living is among my top favorites. I have been around the world and back and there is still no place like home. I guess everyone feels that way but I am here to tell you we should probably start issuing passports to come down here. I have heard so many stories from the “move ins” or “transplants” about how life here in Liberty County really is different from the surrounding areas.
One of the things that I boast about is our 1 red light, 2 caution light status. I know that most places brag about shopping centers and state of the art technology but not here. I am so proud of our little caution light in Hosford. I really can’t believe that it is still blinking. If I were a betting gal, and I have been known to place a wager or two, I would say that with all the hunters and outdoorsmen that have to pass by it umpteen times a day it wouldn’t have lasted more than a day or two. But it has and in my opinion there is a reason why. When I see that old caution light flashing in the dark night sky after a long day at work in Tallahassee I know that I am close to home and the comfort and peace that being there brings. I know that right there at the old silk petals there will be a “county mounty” or sometimes a trooper parked right outside the yellow glow, just watching the ramblers of the night. There on the other corner, ghost like in color and old plantation like in size is the Hosford School. Complete with the big old oak trees and hard wood floor gym. I can assure you, they don’t make’em like they used too! On the other two corners of course you got the Chevron, the local convience store and the Hoggly Woggly. I think it has a different name now but to me it ain’t changed a bit! It still smells the same anyway. No amount of scrubbing could get the greasy fried chicken smell out of that building and I don’t know a soul who would even try. Short of a fire burning it down I doubt that place will ever be anything than what it has been my whole life…..and that’s all right with me.
Another of my favorite things is the waving. Everywhere you look while driving down the road or standing beside it you see people waving and exchanging friendly greetings. A wave can be a simple “hey y’all” to neighbors or a hearty welcome to the thru traffic out on Highway 20. It can also be a not so nice, “you just run over my dog” message. We have seen and participated in both forms, each with their own benefit. There is no requirement to actually know the person you are waving at. Here everybody is “tater patch kin” as grandpa would say so you may as well wave; they are probably your cousin! When we were in high school we had to drive to Bristol to school. Elijah and I had a truck and would haul anybody who could fit with us. We usually brought the same crew home plus a few extras after all the practices and everything were done. With all the new people moving into town we started seeing how many we could get to wave to all of us packed in that truck. The log trucks blew there train horns and keep going not missing a beat, the pick up trucks were all just as friendly as could be but sometimes we would get a double take or a bug stare as we rolled on pass them 6 or 8 strong. I think they thought we were a little crazy…..and sometimes, I’ll admit, we kinda were.
The way you introduce yourself here in our area is a little different too. You can walk up to someone and say, “Hi I am Azie.” And I can almost guarantee that the answer you will get is, “Hello, I am Jamie Holcomb, from over on Hoecake road, Royce and Trish Holcomb’s bunch over that way. Who are your people?” So we learned quickly to introduce ourselves like this. “Hello sir, I am Azie Spikes, Crystal Musgrove’s daughter, she grew up out in Blue Creek, part of that old Geiger clan, married a boy from over panama city way, and we live in Hosford.” Just kinda helps keep the conversation moving a little bit and at the same time tell you who you can and cannot gossip about! If the person you are talking to is a Blue Creek Geiger then you know already that you can’t talk about the Musgroves, the Geigers, the Spikes, the Holcombs or the Duggars, because that is all their people! It really is a blessing to know who you’re talking to; it can keep you out of a lot of trouble. I guess you would just have to be from around here to really understand that.
Speaking of school, another plus for parents in our community (not necessarily the kids) is that when you go to school and something bad happens, you know in a New York minute. Us younguns could do something wrong and mama would know before we got home and she worked all the way in Tallahassee. On the other hand, when some body needed something or was hurt, they knew just as fast. We knew that no matter what we did we would always have somebody there in a hurry, to help us and take care of us, love us up or tan our hides depending on what exactly went on. I have been on both sides of the issue and I am grateful to know that my people we there when I needed them and when I didn’t. News travels fast here and bad news flies! Everything can be known in about 5 minutes if you know who to call. From who just got life-lighted to Tallahassee, to who the Homecoming Queen is, to what happened out on highway 20, the Grapevine is alive and well in our community. We have all been victim of it on our bad days, grateful for when we needed help and users of it when we accomplished something great.
The scenery around here ain’t too shabby either. Tall pine trees remind us of the heights we can achieve, old moss covered oaks remind us of our strong heritage and the pot holes and dirt help us to remember to slow down or at least enjoy the journey even if you do take it at 90 miles an hour. Rivers boarder us on 2 sides and creeks, branches, and sloughs crisscross the land like tiny little arteries in our hearts. The full moon rising at the back of the deer patch is what my memories are made of, tinted with the golden kiss of the hot summer sun on the bank of the river, and the vibrant colors in the flowers along the walk at grandma’s house. Michelangelo ain’t got nothing on the One who painted the view from my front porch looking in or my back door looking out. Even the poorest here are still so very rich.
A sense of pride, community and family is established in everything we do. Known for high school sports, our love of the outdoors and admired for fundraisers to help the sick and our beautiful scenery, the big LC is the place to be. There truly is no place like home.
One of the things that I boast about is our 1 red light, 2 caution light status. I know that most places brag about shopping centers and state of the art technology but not here. I am so proud of our little caution light in Hosford. I really can’t believe that it is still blinking. If I were a betting gal, and I have been known to place a wager or two, I would say that with all the hunters and outdoorsmen that have to pass by it umpteen times a day it wouldn’t have lasted more than a day or two. But it has and in my opinion there is a reason why. When I see that old caution light flashing in the dark night sky after a long day at work in Tallahassee I know that I am close to home and the comfort and peace that being there brings. I know that right there at the old silk petals there will be a “county mounty” or sometimes a trooper parked right outside the yellow glow, just watching the ramblers of the night. There on the other corner, ghost like in color and old plantation like in size is the Hosford School. Complete with the big old oak trees and hard wood floor gym. I can assure you, they don’t make’em like they used too! On the other two corners of course you got the Chevron, the local convience store and the Hoggly Woggly. I think it has a different name now but to me it ain’t changed a bit! It still smells the same anyway. No amount of scrubbing could get the greasy fried chicken smell out of that building and I don’t know a soul who would even try. Short of a fire burning it down I doubt that place will ever be anything than what it has been my whole life…..and that’s all right with me.
Another of my favorite things is the waving. Everywhere you look while driving down the road or standing beside it you see people waving and exchanging friendly greetings. A wave can be a simple “hey y’all” to neighbors or a hearty welcome to the thru traffic out on Highway 20. It can also be a not so nice, “you just run over my dog” message. We have seen and participated in both forms, each with their own benefit. There is no requirement to actually know the person you are waving at. Here everybody is “tater patch kin” as grandpa would say so you may as well wave; they are probably your cousin! When we were in high school we had to drive to Bristol to school. Elijah and I had a truck and would haul anybody who could fit with us. We usually brought the same crew home plus a few extras after all the practices and everything were done. With all the new people moving into town we started seeing how many we could get to wave to all of us packed in that truck. The log trucks blew there train horns and keep going not missing a beat, the pick up trucks were all just as friendly as could be but sometimes we would get a double take or a bug stare as we rolled on pass them 6 or 8 strong. I think they thought we were a little crazy…..and sometimes, I’ll admit, we kinda were.
The way you introduce yourself here in our area is a little different too. You can walk up to someone and say, “Hi I am Azie.” And I can almost guarantee that the answer you will get is, “Hello, I am Jamie Holcomb, from over on Hoecake road, Royce and Trish Holcomb’s bunch over that way. Who are your people?” So we learned quickly to introduce ourselves like this. “Hello sir, I am Azie Spikes, Crystal Musgrove’s daughter, she grew up out in Blue Creek, part of that old Geiger clan, married a boy from over panama city way, and we live in Hosford.” Just kinda helps keep the conversation moving a little bit and at the same time tell you who you can and cannot gossip about! If the person you are talking to is a Blue Creek Geiger then you know already that you can’t talk about the Musgroves, the Geigers, the Spikes, the Holcombs or the Duggars, because that is all their people! It really is a blessing to know who you’re talking to; it can keep you out of a lot of trouble. I guess you would just have to be from around here to really understand that.
Speaking of school, another plus for parents in our community (not necessarily the kids) is that when you go to school and something bad happens, you know in a New York minute. Us younguns could do something wrong and mama would know before we got home and she worked all the way in Tallahassee. On the other hand, when some body needed something or was hurt, they knew just as fast. We knew that no matter what we did we would always have somebody there in a hurry, to help us and take care of us, love us up or tan our hides depending on what exactly went on. I have been on both sides of the issue and I am grateful to know that my people we there when I needed them and when I didn’t. News travels fast here and bad news flies! Everything can be known in about 5 minutes if you know who to call. From who just got life-lighted to Tallahassee, to who the Homecoming Queen is, to what happened out on highway 20, the Grapevine is alive and well in our community. We have all been victim of it on our bad days, grateful for when we needed help and users of it when we accomplished something great.
The scenery around here ain’t too shabby either. Tall pine trees remind us of the heights we can achieve, old moss covered oaks remind us of our strong heritage and the pot holes and dirt help us to remember to slow down or at least enjoy the journey even if you do take it at 90 miles an hour. Rivers boarder us on 2 sides and creeks, branches, and sloughs crisscross the land like tiny little arteries in our hearts. The full moon rising at the back of the deer patch is what my memories are made of, tinted with the golden kiss of the hot summer sun on the bank of the river, and the vibrant colors in the flowers along the walk at grandma’s house. Michelangelo ain’t got nothing on the One who painted the view from my front porch looking in or my back door looking out. Even the poorest here are still so very rich.
A sense of pride, community and family is established in everything we do. Known for high school sports, our love of the outdoors and admired for fundraisers to help the sick and our beautiful scenery, the big LC is the place to be. There truly is no place like home.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Welcome to the Woods Y'all!
Since my young women days we have always tried really hard to let the Elders in our ward know how much we appreciate their service. Especially since I have been home I have tried to be as helpful as possible. Last week Amanda and I made some posters and put them on the wall leading to the missionaries house and then on the door for them to find when they came home. Just our little way of saying welcome. The poem on the door said:
Hello Elder Dame,
You probably think this is lame
But we have to play the game,
Around here things always stay the same.
Fresh meat on the market,
So we made you all our target.
Two tags make a pair
And 3 just make a scare!
We do miss those who are gone,
But will claim you 3 as our own.
Please don’t sing us a song,
The first time was just wrong.
Looking forward to seeing your smiling faces,
And filling all the empty church pew spaces,
Feeling the spirit, even in small traces,
Can help save the worst of cases!
Good luck planting the seed,
Show them the truth through all your good deeds.
And please let us know what you need,
We all want to help y’all succeed!
You probably think this is lame
But we have to play the game,
Around here things always stay the same.
Fresh meat on the market,
So we made you all our target.
Two tags make a pair
And 3 just make a scare!
We do miss those who are gone,
But will claim you 3 as our own.
Please don’t sing us a song,
The first time was just wrong.
Looking forward to seeing your smiling faces,
And filling all the empty church pew spaces,
Feeling the spirit, even in small traces,
Can help save the worst of cases!
Good luck planting the seed,
Show them the truth through all your good deeds.
And please let us know what you need,
We all want to help y’all succeed!
There will now be 3 missionaries in our ward: Elder Dame, Elder Merrill and Elder Davis. Amanda left them a loaf of her zucchini bread on the hand rail as a nice little late night snack. She told me that since I have been home our rhyming has greatly improved! I think it is fun to do and as a missionary I loved it when the members went out f their way and took time out of their busy lives to make us feel welcome and special. If any of you would like a hand it next time just let me know. The more the merrier! But if you would really like to make their lives easier you can ask some of you friends to hear the gospel. I know that they will be more than glad to share what they know and save a soul in the process. Let's show these boys how its done LC style. Next time you see them on the street, take time to talk, shake hands and love'em up. (Boys only of course) and do what you can to make this work roll forth! Remember pretty is as pretty does and we have some right handsome fellows serving us. Lets be pretty and help them carry the load!
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